21 September 2016

A new build, House 19, in the Chiltern Hills was created with the help of some of the tenants at the Sky House Design Centre.

The exterior was cladded in a burnt cedar cladding, Shou Sugi Ban, by Exterior Solutions with all glazing by IQ Glass . This cladding is created by using the ancient Japanese art of burning timber. The home includes an inner courtyard and a very bright interior, which includes all white walls to contrast with the darker exterior.

The home was featured in the August 2016 issue of Grand Designs with a six-page spread. The title of this article is ‘Rock Solid’, and focuses on how House 19 was created with an interview with the owners. The interior and exterior of the home has been beautifully designed to meet the expectations of the owner’s requirements. The homeowners wanted a large space where they are able to provide entertainment to their friends and family.

The owner of the home and architect of the project, Heinz Richardson says, ‘I didn’t design it just for us two…It’s flexible, with separate accommodation that could be used for a nanny, or a carer, and is wheelchair accessible. It can also easily accommodate 12 people.

As well as having the exterior clad in black-stained timber, a dark zinc roof was also installed. A wall of flint with Corten steel detailing helped to create a textural, tactile appearance at the front of the building, emphasising the amazing design of the building.

The Richardson’s also wanted their home to be a passive house. To achieve this they installed glass in very strategic places, used photovoltaic panels for electricity, a ground source heat pump that provides underfloor heating with hot water and a place for rainwater to be harvested for clothes washing, flushing WCs and garden watering.